RUGBY NEWS:SOUTH AFRICA half-back Ruan Pienaar will officially become an Ulster player at the start of September after agreeing a release from his Natal Sharks contract.

The 26-year-old, a World Cup winner who can play at scrumhalf or outhalf, is part of the Springboks squad competing in the Tri-Nations but had agreed his move to the Ravenhill side in May.

His two-year deal will begin on September 1st although he will be allowed to play for South Africa if selected for their Tri-Nations finale against Australia on September 4th, meaning he could miss Ulster’s Magners League opener against the Ospreys.

Ulster operations director David Humphreys said: “We’re delighted to have concluded the contract negotiations around Ruan’s move to Ulster . . . he is without doubt one of the biggest signings made in Ulster Rugby’s history and I’m confident he will be a key asset to us, both on and off the pitch.”

Pienaar, who will join fellow South Africa caps Johann Muller and Pedrie Wannenburg in Belfast, said: “I’m very excited about the change – I have been thinking about going to the Northern Hemisphere for a couple of seasons now and when the opportunity to join Ulster came up I was very interested.”

Meanwhile, Peter de Villiers has been given a vote of confidence by his employers at the South African Rugby Union and assured his job is safe. The Springboks coach has faced a barrage of criticism following a dismal run of three straight defeats. All the losses were in the Tri-Nations and have left the defending champions playing only for pride in their remaining three games, all of which are on home soil.

De Villiers is due to meet with senior SARU officials to discuss the tour to New Zealand and Australia, but ahead of the talks he has been given full backing.

“There is a lot of wrong that needs to be made right after the bad start to the Tri-Nations,” SARU president Oregan Hoskins said. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t support the coach. We are meeting the coach to hear what went wrong and what needs to be done going forward. But again, he has our full backing.”

- ITV has been awarded host broadcasting rights for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.

And they have also gained British rights for the next World Cup, to be staged in New Zealand during September and October 2011.

ITV has screened every Rugby World Cup since 1991.The 2011 World Cup kicks off in Auckland on September 9th when New Zealand host Tonga at Eden Park.